The National Academy of Sciences’ recent report, Rising to the Challenge: U.S. Innovation Policy for the Global Economy, has highlighted global case studies of innovation partnerships. The upstate NY region has been an exceptional demonstration of innovation partnerships between state government, industry and universities. Investments by GF, SEMATECH, IBM, The College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering at SUNY Albany and the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have contributed to the success of the region.

GF is dedicated to the promotion of innovation in NY and in the United States and this was highlighted in the keynote address that CEO Ajit Manocha just delivered at the symposium. According to Manocha, the economy requires innovative approaches to the public-private partnerships that support new advanced manufacturing operations and those operations must be part of the nation’s economic strategy.

Manocha spoke about Fab 8 and other business progress in upstate New York and he shared both his vision for the company and his greater vision on how our company can shape the local, regional, national and global economy. Innovative approaches to public-private partnerships are necessary to support new advanced manufacturing operations which must be part of the nation’s economic strategy.

Defining Investment

In his speech, Manocha discussed the basis for our investment in New York, beginning in 2009 with the construction of Fab 8. Since that point, the Fab has expanded to consist of approximately two million square feet of development and will be capable of delivering a total manufacturing capacity of approximately 60,000 wafers per month once fully ramped with tools and equipment. GF has currently made 2,000 new direct jobs in NY and that number is expected to grow by another 1,000 employees by the end of 2014.

Success in New York

Manocha discussed the various high-tech successes including technological innovation, job creation and advanced manufacturing. New York State’s public investments have developed CNSE as a hub of innovation, which combined with GF’s private investments in Fab 8, are prime examples of the intimate links between research, innovation and production.

Why Semiconductors Matter in the US

Finally, Manocha touched upon the importance of the semiconductor industry in the United States. Semiconductors are the backbone of today’s modern digital economy, powering everything from smart phones to laptops, and they make up the nation’ largest export. The advanced manufacturing of semiconductors represents a unique opportunity to help the U.S. drive innovation, improve productivity and remain competitive in the global economy.

GF is thrilled to contribute to the success of New York’s technology industry, but we are also looking forward to the future and the ability to contribute to the U.S. economy on a greater scale. This symposium provides the opportunity to reflect on the success of our work in New York, as well as opportunities for future investment.